Ancient Greece History and Homeric Epic Poetry
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59 Terms
What geographical areas made up Ancient Greece?
Mainland Europe, Western Asia Minor, and hundreds of islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas.
What is a city-state?
An independent, self-governing political unit with a city center and surrounding villages and farmland.
What was Athens known for?
Being the birthplace of democracy, where citizens had political representation and power.
What was Sparta known for?
Being a powerful military city-state.
How did a strong military help Greek city-states?
It helped them conquer and colonize surrounding territories.
Where did the Minoan civilization develop?
On the island of Crete.
What were the Minoans known for?
Sophisticated society, elegant stone palaces, fine carvings, and metalwork.
What writing system did the Minoans use?
Linear A, written on clay tablets.
Who became the dominant force after the Minoans?
The Mycenaeans.
What was the Mycenaean economy based on?
Trade.
What writing system did the Mycenaeans use?
Linear B, written on clay tablets.
What type of religion did the ancient Greeks practice?
Polytheism, the belief in multiple gods.
What does polytheistic mean?
Believing in and worshipping multiple gods.
Where did the most important Greek gods live?
Mount Olympus.
Who was the king of the Greek gods?
Zeus.
Who was Hera?
The wife of Zeus.
Who was Poseidon?
The brother of Zeus and ruler of the sea.
Who was Hades?
The ruler of the Underworld.
What was Apollo associated with?
Prophecy and oracles.
What was the Parthenon?
A temple in Athens dedicated to Athena.
Who was Athena?
The goddess to whom the Parthenon was dedicated.
How did the Greeks honor warriors?
By building statues of them.
How did Greek admiration for warriors influence athletics?
It inspired competitive athletic games that led to the Olympics.
How did Greek philosophy influence the modern world?
It helped shape modern science and logic.
How did the Greek language influence other languages?
It helped establish roots of more than 1,000 other languages.
What is hubris?
Excessive pride or self-confidence, especially toward the gods.
What does in medias res mean?
"In the middle of things"; a story begins in the middle of the action.
Who was Homer?
A legendary blind poet believed to have lived between 850 BCE and 700 BCE.
Was Homer definitely one real person?
No. Scholars are uncertain whether Homer was a single real person.
What is an epic poem?
A long narrative poem in a grand style about a larger-than-life hero.
What is The Iliad about?
The Trojan War.
Around when did the Trojan War occur?
Around the 12th century BCE.
How is The Iliad structured?
It is a long, highly dramatic, single narrative focused on the Trojan War.
What is The Odyssey?
An epic adventure story that takes place after The Iliad.
Where is Odysseus from?
Ithaca.
Where does The Odyssey begin according to these notes?
On the island of Ogygia, where Odysseus is held captive by Calypso.
How long after the Trojan War does The Odyssey begin
Ten years after the Trojan War.
Who is Calypso?
A nymph who holds Odysseus captive on Ogygia.
what is Scylla?
A six-headed monster encountered by Odysseus.
What is Charybdis?
A dangerous whirlpool encountered by Odysseus.
What is an epic hero?
A central character with qualities such as noble status, bravery, fame, strength, and leadership.
What is an invocation to the Muse?
The opening in which the poet asks a Muse for inspiration.
What is the purpose of an invocation to the Muse?
To ask for inspiration before telling the epic story.
What does in medias res do in an epic?
It starts the story in the middle of the action and reveals background information later.
What is lofty style?
Elegant, formal language that emphazises the nobility of the subject.
What is an objective tone?
A tone that maintains emotional distance so the audience can focus on the story.
What is meter in poetry?
A fixed rythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.
What meter was The Odyssey written in?
Dactylic hexameter
What is dactylic hexameter?
A poetic rythm consisting of six metrical feet per line.
Why was meter useful to ancient Greek poets?
It helped them memorize and recite lines.
What is an epithet?
A repeated descriptive phrase applied to a person, place, or thing that helps with meter and memory.
What is an example of an epithet from Homer?
“Rosy-fingered dawn”
What is another example of an epithet from Homer?
“Son of Laertes,” referring to Odysseus
What are the two main purposes of epithets?
To help fill the poetic meter and make lines easier to remember.
What is an epic simile?
An extended, detailed comparison that may span many lines to elaborate on an idea or image.
What is the purpose of an epic simile?
To make descriptions more vivid and detailed by comparing something to something else.
What is the main difference between The Iliad and The Odyssey?
The Iliad focuses on the Trojan War, while The Odyssey follows Odysseus's adventures after the war.
What qualities were valued in an epic hero?
Noble birth or status, bravery, fame, physical strength, and effective leadership.
What is the main difference between Linear A and Linear B?
Linear A was used by the Minoans, while Linear B was used by the Mycenaeans.